Ravensdagger_Headpats

Chapter Thirteen

The clock above the doorway ticked three times, each tick an eternity longer than the last.Taylor’s chest constricted, as if someone had reached a hand into her and squeezed the air out of her lungs.She was in danger. More importantly, her sisters were in danger. This wasn’t some no-name thug with a gun, not that that wouldn’t have been terrifying enough. This was Oni Lee, the ABB’s mad dog. In terms of sheer body count, he would likely be considered the most dangerous cape in the city.“You will come with me,” he repeated.There was no room for argument, no place to deny him what he wanted or to fight back. It didn’t even sound like a demand. Oni Lee said they would jump, and he expected them to do just that.Taylor moved.She threw every insult she knew at herself even as her legs started to move, even as she stumbled forwards, even as she saw the eyes of the man behind the mask widen. Her fingers brushed against his chest, then went right through as he turned to ash.“Fool.”The single word of condemnation came from right behind her. Taylor whipped around in time to see a knife plunging at her through a cascade of hair.She felt something settle in her stomach and pushed.The knife jerked to a stop inches from her face, held there by a cat’s cradle of ribbons tethered to the ceiling lights. Oni Lee paused, the black holes of his mask boring silently into her soul.Then a new Lee appeared, once more between her and the door, standing in the ash of his original. His knife was already in hand. But before he could threaten her with it, his body suddenly spasmed, a pained gasp escaping him as the blade fell from limp fingers.A moment later, both he and his weapon crumbled to ash, revealing a new girl standing behind him.She was short, with long black hair tied in a ponytail that reached all the way down to the small of her back. A blue Oni mask sat on the back of her head, so her hair emerged from its mouth. She wore a tight dress of flowing cloth, loose sleeves, and a skirt that stopped at her knees. A thick sash wrapped around her waist... from which protruded the mouth of a sheath.In her outstretched hand was a knife, one of those traditional Japanese ones. A tanto? With a brightly lacquered wooden grip, it looked almost like a toy if not for the very real steel hovering where Lee's kidney would have been. Used to be.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.“You are trying to hurt my Onee-sama,” the girl said in a monotone but still sugary-high voice. She didn’t break eye contact, or even blink.Oni Lee reappeared, this time almost on the opposite end of the store from Taylor and her sisters. One hand held his knife, but this time his other hand was clamped on his side, trying to hold back the obvious red stain spreading through the fabric.He made a noise halfway between a growl and a groan, then faded into ashes.A new Oni Lee appeared before Taylor, arm cocked back with his knife poised to strike.The new girl stepped out from his shadow, the short hiss-click of her knife sliding back into its sheath the only sound she made.“Omae wa mou, shindeiru,” the girl intoned with gravitas.“Nani?” he asked.Oni Lee’s arm fell off like a doll’s limb that had been yanked too hard. His knife was still held in a white-knuckled grip, even as blood pooled on the floor.Then Oni Lee vanished in a cloud of ash and did not reappear.The girl sighed and turned towards Taylor, a bored non-expression on her face. “He still lives. Does Onee-sama wish for me to correct this?”Taylor swallowed, looked down at the arm that was resolutely not turning to ash, then shook her head. “No, that’s… okay. We need to get out of here.”“Shit, even littler little sis,” Cheshire began. “Y’er almost cool.”The new girl looked at Cheshire, her expression still completely flat. She turned her attention to Taylor. “What is that thing, and why is it soiling my Onee-sama’s presence?”Cheshire choked. “Bitch, I will cut you.”New Girl put a casual hand on the hilt of her knife. “Not if I cut you first, Kuroneko.”Taylor pinched the bridge of her nose. “No one is cutting anyone,” she declared. “Come on.”Lights began to flash outside and the telltale sound of sirens approaching had all four girls tensing. Taylor grabbed Crochet and Cheshire by the hand and started moving towards the back. “Is the fire exit blocked?” she asked the owner.“It isn’t,” the man said. “G-go ahead, miss.”“Thanks. Come on, uh... new girl. Time to go.”“Yes, Onee-sama.”

Chapter Fourteen

Walking down an alley in Brockton Bay was usually a good way to get kidnapped, assaulted, robbed, mugged, or beaten. If you were lucky, it was only one of the things on that list.Walking down an alley in Brockton Bay with what were essentially three capes, none of which were even trying to disguise their powers was an entirely different experience.Crochet was at Taylor’s right, one hand gripping hers while she focused on the pile of clothes floating before her. Needles were already slipping in and out of something that was, to Taylor’s growing worry, getting rather large.She would have complained about the theft, but they were already running away from a crime scene. At some point allowances had to be made.Cheshire had Taylor’s other hand in hers and was bouncing on the spot as if eager to run ahead. Taylor had a response on the tip of her tongue to call her back, but so far the girl seemed satisfied to hold Taylor’s hand.The new girl, and Taylor knew that she had to find a name soon, was popping in and out of existence. She would appear at the end of the streets they were walking down, or on nearby rooftops. Always in places where it was difficult to see her until her clone collapsed to dust.“Hey!” Taylor called out as they neared the end of the alleyway.With a pop, the girl appeared before Taylor, head tilted back to look at her. Her expression was still as cold and flat as it ever was. “Yes, Onee-sama?”“Do you mind staying close to us for a bit?” she asked. “I don’t want anyone spotting you. And I’d like to know where you are.”“As you wish, Onee-sama.”Taylor stuck her head out of the alleyway and looked both ways. Other than a police car that disappeared around a distant intersection, there wasn’t anything out of place. She turned to take in her sisters. Cheshire was as conspicuous as ever in her onesie, but people might just ignore that with her age.The new girl’s outfit was... bizarre. She was also carrying a knife that, to scale, might as well have been a short sword, but she looked normal enough. The problem was the mass of cloth floating next to Crochet. That would definitely have alarm bells ringing.“Crochet, sweetie, could you maybe hide all that?” Taylor asked.Crochet looked up from her work, the needles never pausing in their stitching. “I’m nearly done, Big Sis, but if you want me to stop, I will.”“Done with what, exactly?” Taylor asked.Crochet hummed, then focused harder on her work. The needles flew faster for a moment, and then the entire thing flipped inside out. It was a bunny. A giant bunny that was, with its long floppy ears sticking out, as tall as Crochet.The bunny landed on its big padded feet, then shook its bum as if testing its balance. “It’s done!” Crochet announced with a small smile that she directed right at Taylor.“‘S kinda cute,” Cheshire admitted with some reluctance. She reached out and patted the bunny between the ears before the plushie smacked her hand away.“Don’t touch Miss Cottontail. She’s clean and pure and you’ll infect her with your stupid,” Crochet said.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.Cheshire gasped and turned a glare onto Crochet. She looked like she was going to attack the shorter girl, but Miss Cottontail hopped between the two and spread her arms out wide.“I ain’t scared of your bunny,” Cheshire said.The bunny’s paws flexed and the sharp ends of scissors poked through like razor-tipped claws.“Meh, so what?” Cheshire added.Mis Cottontail opened her mouth, revealing an entire sewing set’s worth of needles set in a perfectly round mouth, all of them spinning around in tight little circles like the inside of a blender. Crochet huffed at her bigger sister. "Bunny bites back, bitch.""Crochet!" Taylor said.The girl flinched, eyes downcast and hands coming up to twiddle together above her tummy. "Sorry. It was an alliteration. I couldn't resist."Taylor shook her head and tried to get her thoughts in line. “Can you lift... Miss Cottontail, Crochet? We’re trying to be discreet here.”“I can,” Crochet said. With some reluctance she let go of Taylor’s hand and picked up the bunny plushie, tucking it under her arm so that its legs dangled behind her, then got a hold of Taylor’s hand again.“Right, Cheshire, Crochet... new girl, stay close. Act casual,” Taylor said.Still holding onto her two little sisters, Taylor walked onto the road and turned in the direction of home. She had planned on walking all the way back, but was now considering taking the bus. A bus she could afford with the wallets of those three thugs burning a hole in her pocket.“You are very tense, Onee-sama,” the new girl said.Taylor made a conscious effort to relax. “You’re right. We should talk. Um. We should find you a name. I can’t keep calling you ‘new girl’ in my head, it’s rude.”“If Onee-sama wishes.”Cheshire hummed. “We should call her something that starts with the letter C.”“For more alliterations?” Crochet said. She didn’t sound averse to the idea. “Maybe, but it could be something else too.”“Nah, I’ve got plenty of ideas,” Cheshire said before turning halfway around to flash the new girl a devilish smile. “Names like Crap, and Cheap and Crybaby and Cun-”“Cheshire!” Taylor said. “Don’t be mean to your new sister. You’re the oldest, you should be setting the example here.”“If she is inadequate, I can remove her for you, Onee-sama.”“That won’t be necessary,” Taylor said. But the look she gave Cheshire said ‘yet.’ “Your powers allow you to teleport, right?”“They do, Onee-sama.”“Maybe something like... Port?” Taylor tried.“‘Cause you want to plug somethin’ into her?” Cheshire asked.Taylor felt the blood drain out of her face. “Not that then. How about... Pop?”“Poppu?” the new girl repeated. It sounded so innocent and, frankly, cute, that Taylor almost missed a step. “This is acceptable.”Taylor grinned, finally feeling far more relaxed. “Good. Pop it is. My third littlest sister after Cheshire and Crochet. I like it.” She placed a hand on Pop’s head and rubbed it a little. Pop closed her eyes and pushed into Taylor’s hand.“Thank you for the name, Onee-sama. I will wear the title of Poppu with pride.”

Chapter Fifteen

It was a Sunday morning and Taylor Hebert had a mission. Sorta.She extricated herself from Cheshire’s grip, gingerly stepped over the blankets Crochet used as a makeshift bed right next to hers, and padded downstairs on slippered feet while covering up a yawn.Her two eldest little sisters were still sleeping peacefully, which meant she had a few minutes to get breakfast ready and prepare for the long day ahead. If her little sisters wanted to play at being heroes, then there were things they would need. After the fight with Oni Lee — and hadn’t that cut a few years off her life — she was prepared, somewhat, to acknowledge that maybe her sisters could handle themselves.Maybe. With supervision. And some training.Frankly, the Wards were starting to sound like a good idea. Maybe. If they swore not to cut open her little sisters to see how they worked.“Hello, Onee-sama,” came Pop’s voice as Taylor slid into the kitchen.The littlest sister was moving a chair away from the pantry, a still-sealed cup of ramen sitting on it as she brought the chair back to the table.“Hey there, Pop,” Taylor said as she slid past. She placed a hand on the girl’s head and gave it a ruffle before moving on. “You’re up early?” she asked, turning the statement into a question.Pop reached up to her head and blinked a few times before rearranging her hair. She was probably miffed that Taylor had messed up her ponytail. “Yes, Onee-sama. I do not need much sleep.”“Uh-huh,” Taylor said. She covered another yawn and began filling a carafe full of water from the sink before placing it in the coffee machine. The device started gurgling and sweet dark ambrosia began to sputter out while Taylor found her favourite woodstock mug.Tea was well and good, but she wanted to wake up properly. Her dad would like some too, when he finally got down.“So, Pop,” she said. She had to get to know her sisters better, all of them, but especially Pop who was otherwise so quiet. “What do you like to do for fun?”“Ninja things,” Pop said.“Ninja... things?”“Yes, Onee-sama.”“Right,” Taylor said. Maybe she could learn about Pop some other way. Grabbing the jug of coffee from the machine, she brought it over to the table, poured herself a mug, then set it down on the wooden board in the middle of the table where the scent of fresh coffee could spread across the house.Pop climbed onto her seat, opened cup ramen before her, grabbed the coffee and under Taylor’s wide-eyed stare, poured some into the cup full of noodles. She carefully replaced the now lighter jug in the middle of the table, pulled out two chopsticks and laid them atop the steaming styrofoam cup.Taylor brought her mug to her lips and took a long sip while Pop just stared at her cup and waited. After a little while, she opened the pack of chicken broth that came with the noodles, poured it in, then mixed it all with a chopstick. “Itadakimasu,” Pop said before digging in.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.With the kind of detachment only possible before eight A.M.on a weekend, Taylor decided not to comment on anything she had seen. “So, we have all day to prepare for things, and our shopping yesterday was interrupted. I was thinking the thr— four of us could go out again, maybe grab you guys some casual clothes and materials for Crochet. We’ll need to find another shop for it, though.”“If Onee-sama goes, then I will protect her,” Pop said.“I don’t need protecting, and it’s just some shopping,” Taylor argued.Pop’s eyes narrowed. “My research into the ninja ways suggest that my Onee-sama will be in danger when I am not there to protect her. So I will always be there to protect her.”“Uh-huh, and what about when I’m in school?” Taylor asked.Pop nodded. “I will need to be discreet.”Before Taylor could start poking holes into that idea, two pairs of footsteps trampled into the kitchen. Cheshire took one look at Pop and grimaced. “Thought you’d’ve left in the night,” she grumbled. “Popped outta existence, you know?”“I could remove your existence,” Pop suggested.They glared at each other while Taylor poured herself another mug. “Coffee, Big Sis?” Crochet asked. She sounded a little disappointed at that.“I need it,” Taylor said. She reached out and placed a hand over Pop’s just as the girl was reaching for the knife tucked into her sleeping shorts. “No stabbing in the kitchen. Or elsewhere in the house. In fact, no trying to kill your sisters. That goes for all of you.”“What ‘bout maimin’?” Cheshire asked with the most innocent of smiles."I have an electric fly swatter and I'm not afraid to use it," Taylor pointed out easily. She had to hide her enjoyment at seeing Cheshire’s grin fade and her face go pale.Cheshire’s cheeks puffed way out. “Ya wouldn’t.”“I will pull you onto my knee and spank you until your tush is red. Right in front of your sisters too,” Taylor added. She narrowed her eyes a little. “Behave. It’s too early for all of this... thisness.”“Hrm, fine,” Cheshire said, but not before giving Pop a look that threatened mischief as soon as Taylor’s back was turned.Sighing, Taylor placed a hand on Crochet’s head and gave it a good pat. “At least you’re well behaved,” she said. “One out of three isn’t bad.” Standing up, Taylor brought her mug to the sink then made her way back towards the stairs. “I’ll be getting changed. You girls get breakfast done and do the same, okay?”As she left, she failed to notice the absolute deluge of smugness emanating from Crochet, or the looks she was receiving from her sisters.